CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Touchdown Club announced Thursday that VMI's
Kouri Crump is the recipient of its 2025 Defender of the Nation Award, which recognizes exceptional student-athletes from the military academies and top collegiate ROTC programs.
Crump will be honored on December 8 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet.
The players eligible for the award must compete for one of the following programs: Air Force Academy, Appalachian State, Auburn University, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Michigan State, University of Mississippi, Naval Academy, Norwich University, University of South Carolina, Texas A&M University, Villanova University, Virginia Tech, VMI, and West Point. The award is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community and the recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.
"Really excited about this recognition from one of our best all-around cadet-athletes here at the Virginia Military Institute," said VMI Head Football Coach
Danny Rocco. "Kouri has had a phenomenal career here. Since my arrival he's been a leader in the program, he's been a leader within his class. He's really well respected by his classmates, teammates and coaches."
Making his collegiate debut in 2022, Crump has been a fixture in the Keydet defense, playing in every game since the 2023 opener. The Charlotte native has racked up 158 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, seven passes defended, four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in his time.
"He'll do anything we ask – he loves competing in special teams. We've moved him to a number of positions defensively and he has excelled," Rocco said. "He's a game-changer and a guy that we have relied on week in and week out. Beyond all of that he's just really a quality young man. Great character, great work ethic. He lives out our core values and that's important for the culture of our team. Really proud of Kouri and appreciative of this recognition he's receiving."
This year, Crump's average of 7.6 tackles per game ranks him sixth in the SoCon (77
th nationally) in that category, adding a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
Off the field, Kouri holds a strong GPA as a civil engineering major and is a two-time member of the Dean's List. Crump is a 2025 team captain, a member of the VMI Promaji Club and a member of the VMI Regimental Band. Crump has also volunteered at Elevation Church in Charlotte, as well as local churches in the Lexington area.
With the announcement, VMI becomes the only Institution to have multiple winners of the award, as Greg Sanders earned the recognition back in
2017.
To view the full release from the Touchdown Club, click
here.
